The setup of most garden water fountains can be accomplished in only a few hours following a few simple steps. These steps are outlined in the literature and are written for teh consumer of average ability to understand and implement. There are several broad categories of outdoor fountain that have similar setup techniques. You are familiar I am sure with the type of fountain you have on hand, if not, ask. The two main types of outdoor fountains are the wall and pedestal types.

Garden Wall Fountain Setup

Garden wall fountains are meant to be placed up against a wall, fence, post or other supporting structure. This is support is necessary due to the upper portions of the fountain being separate from the lower section in most cases. Also, wall fountains for the garden are made to take up less space then pedestal types. This is because they are usually situated along pathways where people pass by and are not meant to command a large space. It is always important to consider this fact when setting up, or before purchasing, these types of fountains to ensure you have a structure in place that will provide adequate support. In addition, the pictures you see online in almost every case only show a photo from the front, which is of course the most attractive view, but from an installation viewpoint it can also be important to consider the rear of the fountain which typically has a horizontal bar in the back of the top section that is used to secure a wire to it from the supporting wall or other structure.

A brief description and overview of the parts ad process of a common garden wall fountain can give us a better understanding of what we may be faced with during fountain setup.

Example Setup Process

After you have decided where to place the fountain, support the water fountain on a hard stable surface such as a concrete pad, paving stones, bricks or compact peat gravel. Make sure the fountain is level with the ground. If it is not level place a shim under it to level it out.

Place the water basin section on top of the ground standing base and center.

Place the pump in the compartment towards the rear of the basin. Run the pump cord over the basin and run it along the back of the base so it is not visible.

Connect the clear vinyl tubing to the nozzle on the pump and secure. Temporarily drape the tubing over the back of the bowl.

Using at least two people lift the upper top part of the fountain and place it on top of basin. To ensure against damage place the burlap from the packaging around the edges of the basin.

Cut the tubing to length and attach to PVC elbow on the back of fountain.

Secure top of fountain to a wall, post or fence using the supplied turn-buckle and eyebolt. The turn-buckle should attach tot he steel bar towards the top and back of fountain.

Fill the basin full of water and plug the pump in. Adjust the water flow using the blue dial on the front of pump.

Setup of Pedestal Type Outdoor Water Fountains

The setup of pedestal type outdoor water fountains is roughly equivalent in complexity to that of garden wall fountains.

Typical Setup Process

The fountain should first of all have a supportive under layer such as gravel, paving stones, concrete pad etc just as any outdoor fountain would.

Place the large bowl or widest tier on the lowest pedestal. If you have a pond section you will first need to position the pond on the ground.

The power cord should first be routed through the middle of the lowest pedestal section and the center of the pond so you do not have to lift these later on.

The power cord should be slid through the rubber stopper and the rubber stopper secured in the 2" PVC coupling. Ensure you check for a tight fit to avoid leaks.

The supplied clear vinyl tubing should be routed through the remaining upper pieces of the fountain through the center channels and connected to the hole inside the top finial. The lower portion should be fitted to the water pump housed inside the base pedestal and secured tot eh pump nozzle. The tubing should extend only 2-4" inside the top finial.

The water flow can be adjusted using the blue dial on the water pump. This adjustment can be done before placing the upper sections on, or after. It may take several attempts to get the ideal flow.

Final Thoughts On Fountain Setup

As you can see from the above mentioned processes the setup of a garden water fountain is not overly technical or complicated. However, there is some labor involved especially to lift and situate heavy pieces. It also is beneficial to review the entire instructions beforehand so you do not miss steps that would require you to take apart the fountain and re-assemble. The beauty and excitement of an outdoor fountain is well worth the effort it takes to set them up.